Ireland’s 2022 Greenhouse Gas Emissions show a welcome decrease, but much work remains to be done
Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 1.9% (1.19 Mt CO2eq) in 2022, driven by higher fuel prices, increased renewable energy, behavioural change and regulation.
Power generation emissions decreased by 1.9% due to a reduction in coal, oil and peat use and more renewable energy.
Agriculture emissions decreased by 1.2% driven by reduced fertiliser use which offset the impact of an increase in livestock numbers.
Residential emissions decreased by 12.7% with the impact of higher fuel prices, new regulations that ban the use of smoky fuel and milder weather evident.
Transport emissions increased by 6% in 2022 as the COVID rebound continues.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its provisional greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland for 2022. The figures show a reduction of 1.9% compared to 2021, with emission reductions in all key sectors, except Transport.
In total, 60.76 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2eq) were emitted excluding emissions from Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF).
The report highlights that 47% of Ireland’s Carbon Budget for 2021-2025 has been used in the first 2 years. An extremely challenging annual reduction of 12.4% is required for each of the remaining years if Ireland is to stay within the Budget.
The figures also show that Ireland exceeded its 2022 annual limit under the European Union’s Effort Sharing Regulation (EU 2018/842). These annual limits have been reduced further from 2023 onwards as Ireland’s Effort Sharing commitment increased from a 30% reduction on the 2005 level by 2030 to a 42% reduction.
Commenting on the figures Ms Laura Burke, Director General, EPA said: “An overall emissions reduction is welcome, and it is encouraging to see the impact of action across key economic sectors. Drivers for this reduction were higher fossil fuel prices and associated behavioural change, more renewable energy, and the impact of regulation such as the nationwide ban on smoky fuels in home heating.
She added “While welcome, this decrease in emissions needs to be significantly ramped up. We need faster progress on the actions set out in national climate action plans to decarbonise and transform all sectors of Ireland’s economy, to stay within National Carbon Budgets and reduce our Greenhouse Gas emissions by 51 per cent by 2030.”
A summary of the trends from key sectors:
Energy Industries: Emissions decreased by 1.8% despite a 2.1% increase in overall electricity demand. The reductions were driven by reductions in coal, oil and peat used in electricity generation (-16.1, -29.1 and -24.8% respectively). These reductions, however, were largely offset by the highest gas usage since 2010 (up 12.6% compared to 2021). The emissions intensity of electricity generation declined to 331g CO2/kWh in 2022 (from 348g CO2/kWh in 2021) due to increased renewable energy, but remained above 2020 levels.
Agriculture: Emissions overall decreased by 1.2% or 0.29 Mt CO2eq in 2022. A welcome decrease of 14% in nitrogen fertiliser use, to 343,000 tonnes, made significant progress towards the 330,000 tonne target for 2025 in the Climate Action Plan and resulted in 0.44 Mt CO2eq less emissions from agriculture. These reductions offset the impact of higher dairy cow numbers which increased for the 12th successive year. Total milk production increased by 0.7% in 2022, with milk output per cow decreasing slightly (-0.2 per cent).
Residential: Emissions decreased significantly by 12.7 per cent to 6.1 Mt CO2 eq. The main drivers for the decrease included a large rise in fossil fuel prices, warmer weather and new nationwide solid fuel regulations that ban the use of smoky fuel in home heating.
Transport: Emissions increased by 6% (to 11.63 Mt CO2 eq), following a similar increase in 2021. Overall higher transport activity – both private cars and freight transport – is eroding the impact of electric vehicles. In 2022, there were 72,000 battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEVs) which is approximately 37% of the Climate Action Plan target for 2025. Emissions in this sector in 2022 were 4.6% below the pre-pandemic level seen in 2019.
Land-Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULULCF): This sector accounted for 10.7% of the total emissions in 2022 (including LULUCF) and decreased by 0.5%. The main source of emissions is from grasslands on organic soils that have been drained for agricultural production. Net grassland emissions were 6.8 Mt CO2 eq in 2022 while Forest land became a net source in 2022 (0.4 Mt CO2 eq) as more trees reached harvesting age.
Commenting, Ms Mary Frances Rochford, Programme Manager, EPA said: “Current decarbonisation actions are being outpaced by increased energy demand across the economy and dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation. A significant increase in Transport emissions in 2022 highlights the fact that a growing economy, with high employment, will continue to produce emissions if we do not break the link and decouple emissions from increased activity by using cleaner and alternatives sources of energy.”
The Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory 1990 to 2022 is available on the EPA website and the EPA Greenhouse Gas web resource is also available online HERE.
Further information: Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office Tel: 053-9170770(24 hours) or media@epa.ie
A Tipperary farmer has been given a 12-month prison sentence following a workplace fatality, which happened on his farm at Coleman, Fethard, Co. Tipperary, back on June 26th, 2016.
On that date, a Telehandler; [same machine widely used both in agriculture and industry], then being used to carry out work on the farm, went out of control before overturning, resulting in one farm employee losing his life and another employee suffering serious injuries.
The owner of the farm had pleaded guilty to charges of being in breach of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007.
At Clonmel Circuit Court, South Tipperary on Thursday last, July 6th, the farmer was sentenced to 12 months in prison, for failing to manage and conduct work activities in such a way as to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the safety health and welfare of his employees at work.
The Health & Safety Authority confirmed that the Telehandler was found to be in a dangerous condition, unsafe and unfit for use, with brakes, accelerator cable, transmission selector, cab door and seat belt not properly maintained.
They add that it is essential that all employers make sure that operator training is provided to all workers and that risk assessments are carried out in advance of the work activities commencing.
Ireland’s ammonia emissions increased by 1% in 2021 as the impact of higher livestock numbers and fertiliser use outpaced the impact of emission reduction measures currently being implemented at farm level.
Ireland is non-compliant with our EU Emissions Reduction commitment in 2021 for Ammonia. Compliance with the 2030 Reduction Commitment is only possible with full implementation of all identified measures, such as low emissions slurry spreading, and widespread use of inhibited urea fertiliser products.
The use of coal and fuel oil in power generation trebled in 2021, leading to increases in emissions of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), showing the direct link between fossil fuel use and air pollutant emissions.
Ireland was compliant in 2021 with EU emissions reduction commitments for the other key air pollutants; non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Additional actions are needed to reduce emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds in the spirit production sector.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today published its 2021 assessment of five key air pollutants which impact air quality, health and the environment. The pollutants are:
ammonia,
non-methane volatile organic compounds
sulphur dioxide
nitrogen oxides
fine particulate matter
Ammonia emissions increased in 2021 by nearly 1%. Growth in livestock numbers, including a 3% increase in dairy cow numbers, led to an increase in total national ammonia emissions. Increased use of low emission slurry spreading to 48% was not sufficient to counteract the impact of the overall growth in livestock numbers. Ireland has not complied with EU National Emission Reduction Commitments for 9 of the past 10 years for ammonia emissions, which cause significant environmental damage to valuable ecosystems and can also impact local air quality and human health. Commenting on the report Dr Eimear Cotter, (Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence and Assessment) said: “The EPA’s assessment shows that the impact of good practices that are currently being implemented at the farm level, such as low emission slurry spreading and the use of protected urea, are not enough to counteract the impact of increased livestock numbers and fertiliser use. More and faster uptake of known measures is needed. While compliance with the EU 2030 targets for ammonia is possible, it will be tight and is at risk should anything less than full implementation of all measures be delivered, or if the level of activity in the sector exceeds projections“.
The use of coal and fuel oil in power generation trebled in 2021, which led to increases in emissions of NOx, PM2.5 and SO2, illustrating the direct link between fossil fuel use and air pollutant emissions . Emissions of NOx increased by 3% overall, driven by increased fossil fuel use in power generation. These increases masked a decrease in NOx emissions from transport of almost 4% in 2021 reflecting a continued improvement in vehicle NOx abatement technologies.
Commenting on the findings Mr Stephen Treacy, (Senior Manager) said: “The data shows the direct link between fossil fuel use and air pollutant emissions, highlighting the importance of accelerating Ireland’s transition towards renewables for the generation of heat and electricity, which will benefit both the climate and air quality”. Emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) increased by 2% in 2021, driven largely by increased activity in spirit production for beverages. While compliance with the NMVOC emission reduction commitment has been achieved, effective abatement measures for this source are needed if future emissions reduction targets are to be met. For further detail on these figures, see the EPA report Ireland’s Air Pollutant Emissions 1990-2030HERE. For further information contact: Ms Emily Williamson, EPA Media Relations Office TEL: 053-9170770 (24 hours) or media@epa.ie
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr Charlie McConalogue, has announced the resumption of Irish beef exports to China. Stakeholders in the industry have obviously welcoming this development, since the Chinese market previously imported Irish beef to the tune of €96 million in 2019.
Chinese buyers of Irish beef have placed orders with a number of processors and cattle eligible for export to China have been processed in a number of facilities throughout Ireland as of Friday, last January 27th 2023.
In total twenty four Irish sites are currently listed on the China Imported Food Enterprise Registration (CIFER) website, each approved to export beef to China, with some of these sites slaughtering cattle while other sites store or process the beef.
The Irish Meat Processors in Co. Tipperary who have been approved for the export of beef to China are as follows:
Irish beef exports to China and including Hong Kong, latter which operates as a special administrative region with different market access rules, were worth €45 million in 2020, down from exports of €96 million in 2019. Readers will remember that in May 2020, Irish beef shipments to China were suspended following the confirmation of an isolated case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), or referred to as ‘Mad Cow Disease,’ a neurological disorder of cattle. Note: This isolated case of BSE did not enter the food chain and posed no risk to human health. Nevertheless, beef exports to China were immediately suspended at the time, purely as a precautionary measure, and in line with the bilateral protocol on trade agreed with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
A farming family near the village of Lorrha, at the north tip of Co Tipperary, say they have lost more than 70 sheep, following a savage dog attack on their flock after Christmas.
The attack was first discovered by local farmer Mr Donal O’Donoghue, on December 27th, which found some 50 sheep killed and another 20 having to be put down due to serious injuries.
Since the initial discovery, a number of sheep that had survived the attack have also since died.
The Chairperson of the Irish Farmers Association, Mr Kevin Comiskey has stated that such ongoing dog attacks, (the 3rd attack in the midwest in recent weeks), on sheep flocks are no longer acceptable and he has called for an emergency meeting at top government level to obtain legislation, including proper responsibility for dog licensing and compulsory microchipping, same to be brought solely under the control of the Department of Agriculture.
Following this Lorrha December 27th savage attack, some sheep still remain missing, others have been located with their entire faces and body parts ripped off. Those located dead were found strewn about everywhere at the location.
Gardaí are now investigating and we understand they have already attended at the scene of this savage attack.
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